EC Gaines File Copies 0

[Robot Man]

On 7/13/2024 at 7:46 AM, Hepcat said:

I agree.

 

On 7/12/2024 at 4:26 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

For these books, census population stats are far more likely to be understated. EC books were widely collected long before the Gaines File copies surfaced. Many of the nicest copies have likely been locked up in private collections since before CGC was founded.

I agree that they're scarce in the marketplace compared to other EC horror issues, but I don't think that they're as rare as the census might lead one to believe. I think that the census numbers will grow as older fan-addicts age out of the hobby.

I agree as well with the exception of TOT #1. Rarely turns up ever. I remember one of the biggest EC collectors, Gary Arlington in San Francisco could never find a single copy to complete his collection. 

[Robot Man]

I lucked out VERY early. I bought all the annuals except TOT #1 in good-vf from a local guy’s packed garage in one group for $100. He also threw in the run of Piracy. This was around 1968. $100.was a LOT of money back then when I was just a kid. It was all I had. I remember having to leave a Timely Submariner #1 for $40.

In the early days of eBay I stepped up and bought a TOT 1 from Gary Colombo. I had to do it. It had the first issues of Crypt, Haunt and Vault as well as the second WS. I paid up pretty good for it at the time but was probably the smartest buys I ever made in hindsight. 

[Hap Hazard]

On 7/13/2024 at 4:15 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

It's hard to believe that at that time the books were only 35–40 years old. It would be like someone today selling a stash of comics from 1984–1989. 

They seemed old at the time and very expensive!

[KirbyJack]

I always wanted a Gaines book, but apparently not enough to actually pay FMV. Someone eventually offered me one in my comfort range. (Paid $100)

[waaaghboss]

On 7/13/2024 at 4:15 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

It's hard to believe that at that time the books were only 35–40 years old. It would be like someone today selling a stash of comics from 1984–1989. 

Yah kinda blows my mind that in 92 when I started buying spiderman, I was closer to Spiderman 1 than a kid starting out today is to spiderman 375 

[plady69]

Great information everyone.  I had a stash of comic book history in all my old TBG, RBCC, etc. but you all are a lot faster than digging through them!

[jimbo_7071]

On 7/13/2024 at 12:46 PM, waaaghboss said:

Yah kinda blows my mind that in 92 when I started buying spiderman, I was closer to Spiderman 1 than a kid starting out today is to spiderman 375 

When I started collecting comic books in early 1984, I was closer to  Mad #1 than a kid starting out today would be to Spawn #1.

Edited July 13 by jimbo_7071

[Hepcat]

When in 1979 I started re-amassing the comics I had as a kid, I was as close to Action Comics 1 as we are today to New Mutants 1. Time flies.

 

 

[Hap Hazard]

On 7/13/2024 at 12:42 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

When I started collecting comic books in early 1984, I was closer to  Mad #1 than a kid starting out today would be to Spawn #1.

Bought my Mad # 1 in 1976, only 24 years old at the time seemed ancient.

[Robot Man]

[Robot Man]

I might add, at the time these were offered for sale, these were VERY high prices. Hard to believe now especially on books like CSS #22, SSS #6 and others that have sky rocketed since then. I only bought 2 or three just to own a few of Bill’s file copies.

I can’t imagine people that could spring for a full run. Kind of like how I find today’s prices. But, I still am, like I have always been just a humble little collector of modest means. 

[Robot Man]

On 7/13/2024 at 2:12 PM, Hap Hazard said:

Bought my Mad # 1 in 1976, only 24 years old at the time seemed ancient.

I bought mine a couple years earlier from Rogofsky for around $45. Highest price easily I ever paid for a comic but MAD #1 was my grail of grails and one of my most prized possessions. 

[jimbo_7071]

On 7/14/2024 at 11:13 AM, Robot Man said:

I might add, at the time these were offered for sale, these were VERY high prices. Hard to believe now especially on books like CSS #22, SSS #6 and others that have sky rocketed since then. I only bought 2 or three just to own a few of Bill’s file copies.

I can’t imagine people that could spring for a full run. Kind of like how I find today’s prices. But, I still am, like I have always been just a humble little collector of modest means. 

It looks like the Mads were on par with the horror titles in terms of price. I can't imagine that would be true today; as big as Mad was when I was younger, it seems mostly forgotten now.

[OtherEric]

I wound up getting an issue of Mad Magazine so I could say I had a Gaines File Copy, the comics are way out of range at this point.

 

[CaptCanuckles]

On 7/12/2024 at 12:50 AM, plady69 said:

Well done sir!

Very nice books!

[Hap Hazard]

On 7/14/2024 at 8:16 AM, Robot Man said:

I bought mine a couple years earlier from Rogofsky for around $45. Highest price easily I ever paid for a comic but MAD #1 was my grail of grails and one of my most prized possessions. 

Paid double that for my copy!

[jmg3637]

Just got back into Mad Comics recently

Hardly a file copy 

Did not realize Panic was a Gaines product as well